Buggy-top support.



No. 886,785. PATENTED- MAY 5, 1908.

J. BLMS. BUGGY TOP SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. 1908.

THE uanms PEfERs co., WASHING 111111 c.

JOAB ELMS, OF COMANOliE, TEXAS.

BUG-GY-TOP SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 6, 1906. Serial No. 320,490.

Patented May 5, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OAB ELMs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Comanche, in the county of Comanche and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Buggy-Top Support, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in buggy top supports.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of buggy top supports, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient device of this class adapted to be readily applied to the folding top of a buggy, or other vehicle, and adapted to prevent the same from bein broken either when it is lowered, or while the vehicle is traveling over rough ground.

A further object of the invention is to provide a buggy top support, which will not bind or break and which will relieve the rear bow of jar and vibration to prevent the same from rattling.

The invention also has for its object to provide a buggy top support, which will not cut, rub, or otherwise mar the sides of the rear bow.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claim, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a buggy top support constructed in accordance with this invention, as shown aplied to a buggy, the top thereof being raised.

ig. 2 is a similar view, the buggy top being lowered. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bugg top support. Fig. 4 is a detail sectiona view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Like numerals of-reference designate corresponding partsin all the figures of the drawmg.

The buggy top support is provided with a spring constructed of flat metal and having a resilient body portion 1, which is substantially straight and which extends longitudinally of the rear bow 2 of the buggy top 3 and it is spaced from the rear or lower edge of the rear bow 2, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. The spring of the buggy top support is constructed of steel, or

other suitable material, and the body portion.

1, which extends substantially the entire length of the side of the rear bow, is arranged flatwise and is provided at its front portion with a quarter bend 4, or bent at right angles to arrange the front end portion edgewise and. in a plane at right angles to the plane of the latter. The twisted front portion 5 is of a sufiicient length only so as to allow the same to form a pivotal connection with the buggy top, thus leaving practically the entire body portion 1 a spring member. The body portion 1 of the spring has its faces arranged substantially horizontally, when the buggy top is lowered, and the side faces of the front end 5 are then substantially vertical. The front end 5 is pivoted to the buggy by the front rail bolt 6, which extends through a perforation 7 of the buggy top support.

he rear portion of the with a substantially S-shaped bend 8, which 5 of the said body spring is provided extends upwardly from the rear end of the body portion 1 and which spaces the same from the rear bow 2. The S-shaped bend 8 lies above the rear end of the body portion 1, and the rear terminal of the spring is provided at the top of the S-shaped bend with a quarter bend or turn 9, which arranges the rear end 10 edgewise in a plane intersecting the plane of the body portion of the spring. This quarter bend 9 begins to turn at a point in advance of the turn of the bottom loop of the S-shaped bend and directly above the center of the connecting portion of the two loops and terminates in a short inclined and inwardly bent rear end 10. It will therefore be seen that the weight of the buggy top, when lowered, is directed against the spring support at the bend 9.

The inclined rear end of the spring is connected by a bolt 11 with a collar 12, having overlapped ends 13, which are pierced by the bolt, and which are detaohably secured by the same to the inclined rear end of the spring. The rear end of the spring extends upwardly and rearwardly, and is connected with the inner side of the collar, which encircles the rear bow. The collar is arranged with its front edge in substantially the same plane as the rear face of the rearwardly extending lower loop or portion of the S-shaped bend, which brings the said S-shaped bend directly at the point of attachment at the rear end of the support, where it is most effective. The construction and arrangement of the terminals of the spring cause the latter to lie substantially beneath the rear bow, which is received within the collar 12. The collar may, if desired, be lined with any suitable material, such as felt, or rubber, to prevent a metallic surface from coming in contact with the rear bow.

When the, buggy top is lowered, the body portion of the spring rests upon the rear rail bolt 14, which is located at a point intermedi ate of the ends of the said body portion 1, and a resilient support is thereby provided for the buggy top. The device is adapted to relieve the buggy top of injurious effects of all jars and vibrations; it is adapted to be readily applied to any buggy, or other vehicle, having a folding top, and it will not scratch, or gtherwise mar, or deface the sides of the rear Having thus fully described my invention,

I what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A buggy top support made of flat metal and consisting of a substantially straight body portion with the metal arranged flatwise and having a front portion twisted at right angles to the body portion and of a sufficient length only as to allow the same to form a pivotal connection with the front bolt of the buggy top, the rear end of the spring body portion being bent backwards upon itself forming an S-s'haped bend above the rear end of said body portion, and the metal after forming the S-shaped bend being bent at a point in advance of the turn of the bottom loop of the S-shaped bend and directly above the center of the connecting portion of the two loops so as to throw it edgewise, and then inclined upwardly and rearwardly and terminating at the inner side of the bow, and a collar fastened to the said inclined end of the support and arranged to embrace the bow and having overlapped terminals connected together, said collar being arranged with its front edge in substantially the same plane as the rear face of the rearwardly extending loop of the S-shaped bend so as to locate the latter substantially beneath the point where the buggy top support is subjected to the weight of the buggy top.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOAB ELMS.

Witnesses: a

J. W. SOURRY, JNo. SPENCER. 

